Writing: Evan Mobley needs a huge Game 7 to get the Cleveland Cavaliers to the 2nd round

Game 6 nearly went the way of the Cleveland Cavaliers. James Harden and Donovan Mitchell were far from the major players they were brought in to be, and they struggled all night against the Toronto Raptors' defense. The two star guards did not step up as needed, leaving the Cavs trailing in Game 6 for most of the night until Evan Mobley stepped up and hit some major shots.

Mobley was huge in the fourth quarter, going 3-5, scoring seven points down the stretch to help the Cavs tie the game. He was one of the few players who stepped up in the waning moments of the game, especially as other key players failed to impact the game as needed. His night concluded with a box score of 26 points, 13 rebounds, and three assists, all while playing stellar low-post defense against the Raptors. 

He found ways to attack the Raptors' defense at every level, something no one else was able to do regularly in the last quarter of play.

It was an outing that even the announcers were impressed by. In fact, a lot of the basketball world gave Mobley strong credit for his impressive outing, but at the end of the day, despite it all, the Cavaliers lost. Meaning, Mobley not only needs to match Game 6's production but also exceed it for Game 7 if Cleveland hopes to move on. 

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The two star guards for the Cavs, on paper, have had a good series. Mitchell is averaging 25 points, 3.5 assists, 5.1 rebounds, and just 2.83 turnovers per game. Harden, meanwhile, is averaging 21 points, 7.5 assists, 6 rebounds, but 5.6 turnovers a game. Those look like good stat lines, but both guys have started to struggle down the stretch as the series has gone on. 

They're throwing up junk shots, turning the ball over more, and are largely just less effective at penetrating the Raptors defense and settling for shots they normally wouldn't. This is where Mobley showed what he can provide in Game 7.

During the Game 6 loss, Mobley showed that he can hurt the Raptors' defense in multiple ways, especially when they lock down on Harden and Mitchell. So if the Cavaliers want to avoid falling to Toronto in Cleveland, then Mobley has got to be at his best. The Cavs need to find ways for Mobley to be aggressive down low to take off the pressure from Mitchell and Harden, while also running some more action on the perimeter for him, so he can try to hurt the Raptors with his three-point shot.

The Raptors gave Mobley too many open looks in Game 6, and he made them pay. He's not Steph Curry from behind the arc, but he can hit his shot enough times to be a threat. If the Cavs can get him a decent set of shots early and he can hit them, then the Raptors can't just load the paint up like they've been doing the last few games. 

Getting him open on the three-point line should be a priority, but so should finding ways to get Mobley some easy lobs. He's so much longer than a lot of the guys on the court, if you get the matchup you want for him, giving him an easy lob should be the first thing Harden tries to do. 

It'll also help limit how much effort he has to put forth on offense. The defense that Mobley brings to the table is going to be as crucial as anything, and making sure he's fresh down the stretch to help lock down the likes of Scottie Barnes is just as important as making sure Mobley gets some touches on offense. 

Mobley is the key to the team's success in this series, and he has to be as good in Game 7, if not better than Game 6, if the Cavaliers are going to move to the second round. 

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